Overview
Bob Dylan at Budokan is a live album by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, released August 1978 on Columbia Records in Japan only, followed by a worldwide release in April 1979. It was recorded during his 1978 world tour and is composed mostly of the artist's "greatest hits". The performances in the album are radically altered from the originals, using the same musicians that played on Street-Legal, but relying on a much larger band and stronger use of brass and backing singers. In some respects the arrangements are more conventional than the original arrangements, for which the album was criticized. For a few critics, such as Janet Maslin of Rolling Stone, the differences between the older and newer arrangements had become less important.
Recording and releases
The audio recording is from shows on February 28 and March 1, 1978. Columbia Records released this double LP in Japan on August 21, 1978. Later that year, it was released in Australia and New Zealand. On April 23, 1979, spurred by extensive importing and at least one counterfeit European edition, Columbia released the album to worldwide markets. The shows were the fourth and fifth in an eight-show appearance at Nippon Budokan Hall in Tokyo, Japan.
An expanded version of the album, titled The Complete Budokan 1978, featuring all of the songs on the original release in newly remixed and remastered form, and featuring 36 previously unreleased tracks, is scheduled to be released on November 17, 2023 by Columbia Records. This release comprises Dylan's Budokan concerts from February 28 and March 1, 1978 in their entirety. In a press release, chief engineer Tom Suzuki said of the remix: “We mixed the record with the keyword ‘passion’ in mind . . . The result is a mix that surpasses the original 1978 release, providing a crisper and clearer sound where each instrument and Bob Dylan’s voice are distinctly audible".
Reception and legacy
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